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Elena Nilsen

Elena Nilsen is a research chemist with the USGS Oregon Water Science Center.

Elena Nilsen is a Research Chemist at the U.S. Geological Survey Oregon Water Science Center and a Program Manager of the Water Quality Processes Program for the Water Mission Area. She studies contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and other threats to aquatic food webs in rivers, estuaries, and coastal ocean habitats. She also studies uptake of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic food webs and she serves as a co-lead of the Environmental Health Program’s PFAS Interdisciplinary Science Team. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at UC San Diego and a PhD in marine geochemistry at UC Santa Cruz.  She started with the USGS as a Mendenhall Post-doctoral Fellow with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in the San Francisco Bay Area studying impacts of contamination on estuarine ecology and geochemistry.  She has been with the Oregon Water Science Center since 2007.

Research Interests

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) including per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); sediment and tissue chemistry; contaminant impacts on First Food species (e.g., Pacific lamprey, white sturgeon, salmonids, shellfish); primary productivity, food web dynamics; biomarkers; and synergistic effects.

Professional Experience

  • Co-Lead, PFAS Interdisciplinary Science Team, U.S. Geological Survey, 2022 – present

  • Program Manager, Water Quality Processes Program, U.S. Geological Survey, 2021 – present

  • Research Chemist, U.S. Geological Survey, 2006 – present

  • Mendenhall Postdoctoral Research Fellow, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA 2004–2006

  • Graduate Student Research Assistant, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 1999–2004

  •  Biology Research Assistant, private biotechnology industry, Silicon Valley, CA 1996–1999

Education and Certifications

  • University of California, San Diego, Biology, B.Sc., 1996

  • University of California, Santa Cruz, Ocean Sciences, Ph.D., 2004

  • U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Geology, Menlo Park, CA, Mendenhall Post-Doctoral Fellow in Organic Geochemistry, 2004–2006

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 19

Target and suspect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in fish from an AFFF-impacted waterway

A major source of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) used in firefighting and training at airports and military installations, however, PFAS have many additional sources in consumer products and industrial processes. A field study was conducted on fish tissues from three reaches of the Columbia Slough, located near Portland International Airport,
Authors
Elena Nilsen, Derek J. Muensterman, Lya Carini, Ian R. Waite, Sean E. Payne, Jennifer Field, Jennifer L Peterson, Daniel Hafley, David Farrer, Gerrad D Jones
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Organohalogenated contaminants in multiple life stages of the Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), Oregon, USA

Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) are ecologically and culturally important anadromous animals native to the West Coast of the United States. Pacific lamprey populations are in decline, and contaminants may be a contributing factor. Between 2017 and 2021, three life stages of Pacific lamprey and collocated sediment samples were collected in Oregon (larval lamprey, sediment, and returning a
Authors
Cassandra Smith, Sean E. Payne, Jennifer L. Morace, Elena Nilsen
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Assessment of persistent chemicals of concern in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, southeastern Washington, 2009

White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are long-lived, late-maturing, benthic-feeding fish that are ideal candidates for assessing the bioaccumulation of persistent chemicals. In this study, composite tissue samples of brain, liver, gonad, and fillet were collected from white sturgeon in 2009 from five sites in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River near Hanford, Washington. The composite tissu
Authors
Sean E. Payne, Daniel R. Wise, Jay W. Davis, Elena B. Nilsen
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Exploring biophysical linkages between coastal forestry management practices and aquatic bivalve contaminant exposure

Terrestrial land use activities present cross-ecosystem threats to riverine and marine species and processes. Specifically, pesticide runoff can disrupt hormonal, reproductive, and developmental processes in aquatic organisms, yet non-point source pollution is difficult to trace and quantify. In Oregon, U.S.A., state and federal forestry pesticide regulations, designed to meet regulatory water qua
Authors
Kaegan Scully-Engelmeyer, Elise F. Granek, Max Nielsen-Pincus, Andy Lanier, Steven S Rumrill, Patrick W. Moran, Elena Nilsen, Michelle Hladik, Lori Pillsbury
By
Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Washington Water Science Center

Contaminant concentrations in sediments, aquatic invertebrates, and fish in proximity to rail tracks used for coal transport in the Pacific Northwest: A baseline assessment

Railway transport of coal poses an environmental risk because coal dust contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mercury (Hg), and other trace metals. In the Pacific Northwest, proposed infrastructure projects could result in an increase in coal transport by train through the Columbia River corridor. Baseline information is needed on current distributions, levels, and spatial patterns of
Authors
Whitney B Hapke, Robert W. Black, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Cassandra Smith, Lyndal Johnson, Gina M Ylitalo, Daryle Boyd, Jay W. Davis, Sara L. Caldwell Eldridge, Elena Nilsen
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Critical review: Grand challenges in assessing the adverse effects of contaminants of emerging concern on aquatic food webs

Much progress has been made in the past few decades in understanding the sources, transport, fate, and biological effects of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in aquatic ecosystems. Despite these advancements, significant obstacles still prevent comprehensive assessments of the environmental risks associated with the presence of CECs. Many of these obstacles center around the extrapolation o
Authors
Elena Nilsen, Kelly L. Smalling, Lutz Ahrens, Meritxell Gros, Karina S. B. Miglioranza, Yolanda Picó, Heiko L. Schoenfuss
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, New Jersey Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center

Prioritization framework for ranking riverine ecosystem stressors using example sites from the Tualatin River Basin, Oregon

As human populations increase, so does their influence over the environment. Altered terrain, degraded water quality, and threatened or endangered species are all-too-common consequences of a growing anthropogenic influence on the landscape. To help manage these effects, researchers have developed new ways to characterize current environmental conditions and help resource managers seek solutions t
Authors
Steven Sobieszczyk, Krista L. Jones, Stewart A. Rounds, Elena B. Nilsen, Jennifer L. Morace
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Spatial and temporal variability of contaminants within estuarine sediments and native Olympia oysters: A contrast between a developed and an undeveloped estuary

Chemical contaminants can be introduced into estuarine and marine ecosystems from a variety of sources including wastewater, agriculture and forestry practices, point and non-point discharges, runoff from industrial, municipal, and urban lands, accidental spills, and atmospheric deposition. The diversity of potential sources contributes to the likelihood of contaminated marine waters and sediments
Authors
Elise F. Granek, Kathleen E. Conn, Elena B. Nilsen, Lori Pillsbury, Angela L. Strecker, Steve Rumrill, William Fish
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Washington Water Science Center

Year-round monitoring of contaminants in Neal and Rogers Creeks, Hood River Basin, Oregon, 2011-12, and assessment of risks to salmonids

Pesticide presence in streams is a potential threat to Endangered Species Act listed salmonids in the Hood River basin, Oregon, a primarily forested and agricultural basin. Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were simultaneously deployed at four sites in the basin during Mar. 2011–Mar. 2012 to measure the pr
Authors
Whitney B. Temple, Jennifer L. Morace, Elena B. Nilsen, David Alvarez, Kevin Masterson
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Reconnaissance of contaminants in larval Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) tissues and habitats in the Columbia River Basin, Oregon and Washington, USA

Pacific lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus) have resided in the Columbia River Basin for millennia and have great ecological and cultural importance. The role of habitat contamination in the recent decline of the species has rarely been studied and was the main objective of this effort. A wide range of contaminants (115 analytes) was measured in sediments and tissues at 27 sites across a large geog
Authors
Elena B. Nilsen, Whitney B. Hapke, Brian McIlraith, Dennis J. Markovchick
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Sedimentary organic biomarkers suggest detrimental effects of PAHs on estuarine microbial biomass during the 20th century in San Francisco Bay, CA, USA

Hydrocarbon contaminants are ubiquitous in urban aquatic ecosystems, and the ability of some microbial strains to degrade certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is well established. However, detrimental effects of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination on nondegrader microbial populations and photosynthetic organisms have not often been considered. In the current study, fatty acid methyl est
Authors
Elena B. Nilsen, Robert J. Rosenbauer, Christopher C. Fuller, Bruce E. Jaffe
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Health status of Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) collected along an organic contaminant gradient in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, USA

The health of Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) in the lower Columbia River (USA) was evaluated using morphometric and histopathological approaches, and its association with organic contaminants accumulated in liver was evaluated in males. Fish were sampled from three sites along a contaminant gradient In 2009, body length and mass, condition factor, gonadosomatic index, and hematocrit w
Authors
Leticia Torres, Elena B. Nilsen, Robert A. Grove, Reynaldo Patiño
By
Cooperative Research Units

Non-USGS Publications**

Nilsen, E.B., and Delaney, M.L.:2005, Factors influencing the biogeochemistry of sedimentary carbon and phosphorus in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: Estuaries (2005) 28, p. 653. doi:10.1007/BF02732904
Nilsen, E. B., L. D. Anderson, and M. L. Delaney, 2003, Paleoproductivity, nutrient burial, climate change and the carbon cycle in the western equatorial Atlantic across the Eocene/Oligocene boundary: Paleoceanography, 18, 1057, doi:10.1029/2002PA000804, 3.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

link
muddy Willamette River

Integrated Water Science Basins: Willamette River

The Willamette River Basin reflects the conflicting water demands between humans and ecosystems—particularly salmon— and the challenge resource managers face throughout the Pacific Northwest.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center
link

Integrated Water Science Basins: Willamette River

The Willamette River Basin reflects the conflicting water demands between humans and ecosystems—particularly salmon— and the challenge resource managers face throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Learn More
link
Diagram showing per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) movement in the environment.

Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team

Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
link

Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team

Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...
Learn More
link
Two small birds at a bird house

PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects

The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from regional...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
link

PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects

The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from regional...
Learn More
link
rails

Ecosystem Effects of Increased Coal Transport Across the Pacific Northwest

Proposed new coal export terminals in Washington and Oregon could increase rail traffic through the Northwest and potentially increase unintended release of coal dust to the environment.
By
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Washington Water Science Center
link

Ecosystem Effects of Increased Coal Transport Across the Pacific Northwest

Proposed new coal export terminals in Washington and Oregon could increase rail traffic through the Northwest and potentially increase unintended release of coal dust to the environment.
Learn More
link
Osprey on nest

Columbia River Contaminants and Habitat Characterization Study

Fish, wildlife, and human populations along the lower Columbia River are exposed to an ever-growing variety of contaminants as a result of increasing urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural development.
By
Oregon Water Science Center
link

Columbia River Contaminants and Habitat Characterization Study

Fish, wildlife, and human populations along the lower Columbia River are exposed to an ever-growing variety of contaminants as a result of increasing urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural development.
Learn More
link
lamprey

Contaminants Affecting Pacific Lamprey in the Columbia River

Pacific Lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus) have lived in the Columbia River Basin for millenia and have great ecological and cultural importance. Lamprey populations in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the world have declined dramatically in recent decades, probably owing to multiple causes. The role of habitat contamination in the declines has rarely been studied and was the main...
By
Oregon Water Science Center
link

Contaminants Affecting Pacific Lamprey in the Columbia River

Pacific Lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus) have lived in the Columbia River Basin for millenia and have great ecological and cultural importance. Lamprey populations in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the world have declined dramatically in recent decades, probably owing to multiple causes. The role of habitat contamination in the declines has rarely been studied and was the main...
Learn More
link
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Pesticides, Flame Retardants, and Mercury in Tissues from Columbia Basin Pacific Lamprey

Pesticides, flame retardants, and mercury were present in Pacific lampreys ( Entosphenus tridentatus ) at levels that may be contributing to their overall decline in the Columbia River Basin.These findings are based on the largest available dataset of contaminants measured in lamprey tissues and lamprey habitats by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program
link

Pesticides, Flame Retardants, and Mercury in Tissues from Columbia Basin Pacific Lamprey

Pesticides, flame retardants, and mercury were present in Pacific lampreys ( Entosphenus tridentatus ) at levels that may be contributing to their overall decline in the Columbia River Basin.These findings are based on the largest available dataset of contaminants measured in lamprey tissues and lamprey habitats by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish...
Learn More

Contaminants in larval, juvenile, and adult Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), Oregon, 2017-2021

This data release contains analytical results of organohalogenated compounds and mercury in lamprey and sediment that were collected from rivers in Oregon and along the Pacific northwest coast from 2017 to 2021. In 2017, 20 lamprey were collected off the Washington and Oregon coasts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These ocean-caught juvenile lamprey were parasitizing target
By
Oregon Water Science Center

Uptake and bioaccumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in fish in the Columbia Slough, Portland, Oregon: 2019-2020

The Columbia Slough is located south and parallel to the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon and consists of approximately 19 miles of predominantly urbanized waterway that drains approximately 32,700 acres of land with industrial, commercial, residential, and agricultural uses. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found in aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) used for firefighting, and soil
By
Oregon Water Science Center

A Baseline Assessment of Contaminant Concentrations in Sediment and Biota in Proximity to Coal Transport Tracks in the Pacific Northwest (2014)

This dataset provides baseline concentrations (from 2014) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), other aromatic organic compounds, mercury (Hg), and trace metal concentrations in sediment and biota collected from two sites along an existing rail line used for coal transport in the Columbia River Gorge, Washington. For this study, aquatic surface sediments, aquatic insects, and juvenile fish wer
By
Washington Water Science Center

Chemicals of emerging and legacy concern in tissues of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Columbia River near Hanford, WA (2009)

This dataset contains concentrations of 28 organochlorine pesticides, 6 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardant congeners, 3 dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) compounds, and 15 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in brain, muscle, gonad, and liver tissues of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). All concentrations are reported on a wet-weight basis. Fish samples were coll
By
Oregon Water Science Center
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist holding an adult Pacific lamprey collected at Bonneville Dam. The dam is on the Columbia River between the states of Oregon and Washington.

By
Contaminant Biology, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist holding an adult Pacific lamprey collected at Bonneville Dam. The dam is on the Columbia River between the states of Oregon and Washington.

By
Contaminant Biology, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program
Potentially Harmful Levels of Contaminants Found in Fish in the Columbia River

Potentially Harmful Levels of Contaminants Found in Fish in the Columbia River

A newly published scientific study discovered that some resident fish in the lower Columbia River, namely largescale suckers, contain chemicals that...
Read Article

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 19

Target and suspect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in fish from an AFFF-impacted waterway

A major source of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) used in firefighting and training at airports and military installations, however, PFAS have many additional sources in consumer products and industrial processes. A field study was conducted on fish tissues from three reaches of the Columbia Slough, located near Portland International Airport,
Authors
Elena Nilsen, Derek J. Muensterman, Lya Carini, Ian R. Waite, Sean E. Payne, Jennifer Field, Jennifer L Peterson, Daniel Hafley, David Farrer, Gerrad D Jones
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Organohalogenated contaminants in multiple life stages of the Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), Oregon, USA

Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) are ecologically and culturally important anadromous animals native to the West Coast of the United States. Pacific lamprey populations are in decline, and contaminants may be a contributing factor. Between 2017 and 2021, three life stages of Pacific lamprey and collocated sediment samples were collected in Oregon (larval lamprey, sediment, and returning a
Authors
Cassandra Smith, Sean E. Payne, Jennifer L. Morace, Elena Nilsen
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Assessment of persistent chemicals of concern in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River, southeastern Washington, 2009

White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are long-lived, late-maturing, benthic-feeding fish that are ideal candidates for assessing the bioaccumulation of persistent chemicals. In this study, composite tissue samples of brain, liver, gonad, and fillet were collected from white sturgeon in 2009 from five sites in the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River near Hanford, Washington. The composite tissu
Authors
Sean E. Payne, Daniel R. Wise, Jay W. Davis, Elena B. Nilsen
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Exploring biophysical linkages between coastal forestry management practices and aquatic bivalve contaminant exposure

Terrestrial land use activities present cross-ecosystem threats to riverine and marine species and processes. Specifically, pesticide runoff can disrupt hormonal, reproductive, and developmental processes in aquatic organisms, yet non-point source pollution is difficult to trace and quantify. In Oregon, U.S.A., state and federal forestry pesticide regulations, designed to meet regulatory water qua
Authors
Kaegan Scully-Engelmeyer, Elise F. Granek, Max Nielsen-Pincus, Andy Lanier, Steven S Rumrill, Patrick W. Moran, Elena Nilsen, Michelle Hladik, Lori Pillsbury
By
Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Washington Water Science Center

Contaminant concentrations in sediments, aquatic invertebrates, and fish in proximity to rail tracks used for coal transport in the Pacific Northwest: A baseline assessment

Railway transport of coal poses an environmental risk because coal dust contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mercury (Hg), and other trace metals. In the Pacific Northwest, proposed infrastructure projects could result in an increase in coal transport by train through the Columbia River corridor. Baseline information is needed on current distributions, levels, and spatial patterns of
Authors
Whitney B Hapke, Robert W. Black, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Cassandra Smith, Lyndal Johnson, Gina M Ylitalo, Daryle Boyd, Jay W. Davis, Sara L. Caldwell Eldridge, Elena Nilsen
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Critical review: Grand challenges in assessing the adverse effects of contaminants of emerging concern on aquatic food webs

Much progress has been made in the past few decades in understanding the sources, transport, fate, and biological effects of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in aquatic ecosystems. Despite these advancements, significant obstacles still prevent comprehensive assessments of the environmental risks associated with the presence of CECs. Many of these obstacles center around the extrapolation o
Authors
Elena Nilsen, Kelly L. Smalling, Lutz Ahrens, Meritxell Gros, Karina S. B. Miglioranza, Yolanda Picó, Heiko L. Schoenfuss
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Toxic Substances Hydrology, New Jersey Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center

Prioritization framework for ranking riverine ecosystem stressors using example sites from the Tualatin River Basin, Oregon

As human populations increase, so does their influence over the environment. Altered terrain, degraded water quality, and threatened or endangered species are all-too-common consequences of a growing anthropogenic influence on the landscape. To help manage these effects, researchers have developed new ways to characterize current environmental conditions and help resource managers seek solutions t
Authors
Steven Sobieszczyk, Krista L. Jones, Stewart A. Rounds, Elena B. Nilsen, Jennifer L. Morace
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Spatial and temporal variability of contaminants within estuarine sediments and native Olympia oysters: A contrast between a developed and an undeveloped estuary

Chemical contaminants can be introduced into estuarine and marine ecosystems from a variety of sources including wastewater, agriculture and forestry practices, point and non-point discharges, runoff from industrial, municipal, and urban lands, accidental spills, and atmospheric deposition. The diversity of potential sources contributes to the likelihood of contaminated marine waters and sediments
Authors
Elise F. Granek, Kathleen E. Conn, Elena B. Nilsen, Lori Pillsbury, Angela L. Strecker, Steve Rumrill, William Fish
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Washington Water Science Center

Year-round monitoring of contaminants in Neal and Rogers Creeks, Hood River Basin, Oregon, 2011-12, and assessment of risks to salmonids

Pesticide presence in streams is a potential threat to Endangered Species Act listed salmonids in the Hood River basin, Oregon, a primarily forested and agricultural basin. Two types of passive samplers, polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), were simultaneously deployed at four sites in the basin during Mar. 2011–Mar. 2012 to measure the pr
Authors
Whitney B. Temple, Jennifer L. Morace, Elena B. Nilsen, David Alvarez, Kevin Masterson
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Reconnaissance of contaminants in larval Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) tissues and habitats in the Columbia River Basin, Oregon and Washington, USA

Pacific lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus) have resided in the Columbia River Basin for millennia and have great ecological and cultural importance. The role of habitat contamination in the recent decline of the species has rarely been studied and was the main objective of this effort. A wide range of contaminants (115 analytes) was measured in sediments and tissues at 27 sites across a large geog
Authors
Elena B. Nilsen, Whitney B. Hapke, Brian McIlraith, Dennis J. Markovchick
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Sedimentary organic biomarkers suggest detrimental effects of PAHs on estuarine microbial biomass during the 20th century in San Francisco Bay, CA, USA

Hydrocarbon contaminants are ubiquitous in urban aquatic ecosystems, and the ability of some microbial strains to degrade certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is well established. However, detrimental effects of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination on nondegrader microbial populations and photosynthetic organisms have not often been considered. In the current study, fatty acid methyl est
Authors
Elena B. Nilsen, Robert J. Rosenbauer, Christopher C. Fuller, Bruce E. Jaffe
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center

Health status of Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) collected along an organic contaminant gradient in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, USA

The health of Largescale Sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) in the lower Columbia River (USA) was evaluated using morphometric and histopathological approaches, and its association with organic contaminants accumulated in liver was evaluated in males. Fish were sampled from three sites along a contaminant gradient In 2009, body length and mass, condition factor, gonadosomatic index, and hematocrit w
Authors
Leticia Torres, Elena B. Nilsen, Robert A. Grove, Reynaldo Patiño
By
Cooperative Research Units

Non-USGS Publications**

Nilsen, E.B., and Delaney, M.L.:2005, Factors influencing the biogeochemistry of sedimentary carbon and phosphorus in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: Estuaries (2005) 28, p. 653. doi:10.1007/BF02732904
Nilsen, E. B., L. D. Anderson, and M. L. Delaney, 2003, Paleoproductivity, nutrient burial, climate change and the carbon cycle in the western equatorial Atlantic across the Eocene/Oligocene boundary: Paleoceanography, 18, 1057, doi:10.1029/2002PA000804, 3.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

link
muddy Willamette River

Integrated Water Science Basins: Willamette River

The Willamette River Basin reflects the conflicting water demands between humans and ecosystems—particularly salmon— and the challenge resource managers face throughout the Pacific Northwest.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oregon Water Science Center
link

Integrated Water Science Basins: Willamette River

The Willamette River Basin reflects the conflicting water demands between humans and ecosystems—particularly salmon— and the challenge resource managers face throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Learn More
link
Diagram showing per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) movement in the environment.

Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team

Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
link

Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team

Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...
Learn More
link
Two small birds at a bird house

PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects

The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from regional...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology
link

PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects

The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from regional...
Learn More
link
rails

Ecosystem Effects of Increased Coal Transport Across the Pacific Northwest

Proposed new coal export terminals in Washington and Oregon could increase rail traffic through the Northwest and potentially increase unintended release of coal dust to the environment.
By
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Washington Water Science Center
link

Ecosystem Effects of Increased Coal Transport Across the Pacific Northwest

Proposed new coal export terminals in Washington and Oregon could increase rail traffic through the Northwest and potentially increase unintended release of coal dust to the environment.
Learn More
link
Osprey on nest

Columbia River Contaminants and Habitat Characterization Study

Fish, wildlife, and human populations along the lower Columbia River are exposed to an ever-growing variety of contaminants as a result of increasing urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural development.
By
Oregon Water Science Center
link

Columbia River Contaminants and Habitat Characterization Study

Fish, wildlife, and human populations along the lower Columbia River are exposed to an ever-growing variety of contaminants as a result of increasing urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural development.
Learn More
link
lamprey

Contaminants Affecting Pacific Lamprey in the Columbia River

Pacific Lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus) have lived in the Columbia River Basin for millenia and have great ecological and cultural importance. Lamprey populations in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the world have declined dramatically in recent decades, probably owing to multiple causes. The role of habitat contamination in the declines has rarely been studied and was the main...
By
Oregon Water Science Center
link

Contaminants Affecting Pacific Lamprey in the Columbia River

Pacific Lampreys (Entosphenus tridentatus) have lived in the Columbia River Basin for millenia and have great ecological and cultural importance. Lamprey populations in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the world have declined dramatically in recent decades, probably owing to multiple causes. The role of habitat contamination in the declines has rarely been studied and was the main...
Learn More
link
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Pesticides, Flame Retardants, and Mercury in Tissues from Columbia Basin Pacific Lamprey

Pesticides, flame retardants, and mercury were present in Pacific lampreys ( Entosphenus tridentatus ) at levels that may be contributing to their overall decline in the Columbia River Basin.These findings are based on the largest available dataset of contaminants measured in lamprey tissues and lamprey habitats by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program
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Pesticides, Flame Retardants, and Mercury in Tissues from Columbia Basin Pacific Lamprey

Pesticides, flame retardants, and mercury were present in Pacific lampreys ( Entosphenus tridentatus ) at levels that may be contributing to their overall decline in the Columbia River Basin.These findings are based on the largest available dataset of contaminants measured in lamprey tissues and lamprey habitats by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish...
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Contaminants in larval, juvenile, and adult Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), Oregon, 2017-2021

This data release contains analytical results of organohalogenated compounds and mercury in lamprey and sediment that were collected from rivers in Oregon and along the Pacific northwest coast from 2017 to 2021. In 2017, 20 lamprey were collected off the Washington and Oregon coasts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These ocean-caught juvenile lamprey were parasitizing target
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Oregon Water Science Center

Uptake and bioaccumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in fish in the Columbia Slough, Portland, Oregon: 2019-2020

The Columbia Slough is located south and parallel to the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon and consists of approximately 19 miles of predominantly urbanized waterway that drains approximately 32,700 acres of land with industrial, commercial, residential, and agricultural uses. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found in aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) used for firefighting, and soil
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Oregon Water Science Center

A Baseline Assessment of Contaminant Concentrations in Sediment and Biota in Proximity to Coal Transport Tracks in the Pacific Northwest (2014)

This dataset provides baseline concentrations (from 2014) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), other aromatic organic compounds, mercury (Hg), and trace metal concentrations in sediment and biota collected from two sites along an existing rail line used for coal transport in the Columbia River Gorge, Washington. For this study, aquatic surface sediments, aquatic insects, and juvenile fish wer
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Washington Water Science Center

Chemicals of emerging and legacy concern in tissues of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Columbia River near Hanford, WA (2009)

This dataset contains concentrations of 28 organochlorine pesticides, 6 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardant congeners, 3 dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) compounds, and 15 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in brain, muscle, gonad, and liver tissues of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). All concentrations are reported on a wet-weight basis. Fish samples were coll
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Oregon Water Science Center
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist holding an adult Pacific lamprey collected at Bonneville Dam. The dam is on the Columbia River between the states of Oregon and Washington.

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Contaminant Biology, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program
Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist Holding an Adult Pacific Lamprey

Scientist holding an adult Pacific lamprey collected at Bonneville Dam. The dam is on the Columbia River between the states of Oregon and Washington.

By
Contaminant Biology, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Environmental Health Program
Potentially Harmful Levels of Contaminants Found in Fish in the Columbia River

Potentially Harmful Levels of Contaminants Found in Fish in the Columbia River

A newly published scientific study discovered that some resident fish in the lower Columbia River, namely largescale suckers, contain chemicals that...
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